Look at 3/4" copper pipe at between $2.00 and $3.00 USD a foot and last time
I checked a 250 foot box of 10-2 or 12-2 (forget which) was about $130.
OTOH almost every inch of pipe in the house is plastic except for a short
run of black iron for gas to the furnace.
Let's face it, unless your name is written on the pipe and coax once a foot
the stuff is basically untracable. OTOH the penalties of caught are no
longer for petty larceny.
Addressing the "hotwiring": It's a dangerous practice for the one doing the
hotwiring as it's viewed here in the states much as is a "set gun", which
leads to one of those "I can't belive they did that" stories.
An older couple out in I believe either Iowas of Kansas had a number of
breakins. It seemd as if the thieves knew when they would be gone. So the
guy tied a shotgun to the window where the thieves had been getting in.
They got back from a short trip and sure enough they'd caught one. Cops
hauled him off, he was found guilty and sentenced for breaking and entering.
BUT and I don't remember if it was the crook or family that sued the old
coulple for injury and they won. The crook did his time and wound up owning
the old couple's farm. They basically lost everything.
However, here in Michigan although "set guns", booby traps, and the like are
illegal, we have a "right to carry" law and they just changed the self
defense requirements to meaning any time you think you are in mortal danger
you may use deadly force. Used to be you had to be able to prove you did
every thing possible to escape, but no more. We may be old, but my wife's a
better shot than I am and has less patience and a propensity to ask fewer
questions too.
OTOH if you used something like an electric fence connected to a metal door,
it'd bite real good, but they might not have a sense of humor.
BTW, I work out in my shop quite late every night. It's almost 2:00 AM and
I'm just headed out. If you should stop by...Kock loudly and introduce
yourself, but let me open the door<:-)) OTOH there is very little out there
worth any one stealing any way. No valuable stuff like airplane instruments
or copper or Aluminum
out there. The Aluminum is 100 to 130 feet in the air. Not something they'd
want to tackle at night. Just the fiberglass fuselage, cloth, resin, and
some small parts that by them selves are worth little, but it would be a
large anoyance and inconvenience to have to replace them.
Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com (Use return address from home page)
>
> Larry:
>
> I'm sorry to hear that your break-in.
>
> Unfortunately, that's what's happening and it's not going to get any
> better.
> Today, finished copper closed above +/- $4.16/lb.
>
> They'll steal anything that's around.
>
> 73's
>
> Jim N9WW
>
> James Chaggaris
> President
> PowerOne Corp.
> 1020 Cedar Avenue
> Suite 110
> St. Charles, IL 60174
> Phn: 630-443-6500
> Fax: 630-443-6505
> Cell: 630-669-2241
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> larryjspammenot@teleport.com
> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 9:05 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] WSJ: Home copper thefts rise
>
> I just had a storage shed at my home broken into. All my many years'
> collection of heliax, coax, wire for radials, etc. was stolen - probably
> about $1000 worth. They left my nice expensive mountain bike, tools,
> etc. -
> they just wanted the copper. Too bad the metal recycler places don't seem
> to
> ask anyone for ID, they just want the copper, too.
>
> LJ
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: "Rob Atkinson, K5UJ" <k5uj@hotmail.com>
>>Sent: Sep 6, 2006 9:24 AM
>>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>Subject: [TowerTalk] WSJ: Home copper thefts rise
>>
>>Today's Wall St. Jour. on p. D1 reports that the record high scrap copper
>>price is causing a wave of copper thefts from homes across the U.S. Most
>>of the thefts involve ravaging outdoor central air conditioners to get the
>>tubing and compressor, which can fetch a nice amount of money for a few
>>minutes of work. These thefts are taking place, not only at unoccupied
>>homes but even when the homeowners are there. Homes with exposed crawl
>>spaces holding copper water pipe are at risk. Theives are crawling under
>>and hacking out the pipe when homeowners are away, even for just a few
>>hours, doing thousands of dollars of damage to air conditioning and
>>plumbing. homeowners are adivsed to put locked covers over their air
>>conditioners and enclose crawl spaces. Hams: Keep an eye on your
>>copper--strap, feedline, radials. other metals are reported as high scrap
>>value as well such as steel and aluminum.
>>
>>rob / k5uj
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________
>>Windows Live Spaces is here! It's easy to create your own personal Web
> site.
>> http://spaces.live.com/signup.aspx
>>
>
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